2011 International Conference on Transportation, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering (TMEE)
December 16-18, Changchun, China
Research on the Simulation of the Driving
System of crawler bulldozer
Zhang Yaojuan1,2
1. College of Mechanical science and Engineering
Jilin University
Changchun, China
2.College of Mechanical Engineering
Beihua University
Jilin, China
e-mail:94778754@qq.com
Abstract—The multibody dynamics model of a crawler
bulldozer is established in this paper using tracked vehicles’
subsystem Track (LM) of multibody dynamics simulation
software RecurDyn, and the simulation analysis of driving
system performance is carried out. In the process of
simulation, this paper focuses on the analysis of the road
wheel's force, driving wheel's force and crawler tension in
the process of operation in two kind pavement of the clay
and hard. Then, the improvement measures have been put
forward that the driving wheels had better use shock
absorber and the strength and stiffness of track shoe pin
should be increased. The simulation analysis result provides
reference for the structure optimization design of crawler
bulldozer and how to extend the service life of the crawler
driving system.
Keywords- crawler bulldozer; driving system performance;
dynamic simulation; land surface mechanics
I. INTRODUCTION
Crawler bulldozer as a type of shovel soil transport
machinery is widely applied in earthwork such as
construction, road building, mining, water resources,
agriculture, forestry and national defense building, and so
on. The research of the working performance, especially
to the research of crawler driving system’s performance is
essential.
Because of the complexity of tracked vehicle itself and
the use environment, traditional modes of research led to
development cost is high, and study cycle is long. The
development and perfection of ground mechanics and
multibody dynamics provide theory and technical support
for modeling simulation of tracked vehicles. This paper
uses the famous multibody dynamics simulation software
RecurDyn to model and analyze for the tracked driving
system of a crawler bulldozer. RecurDyn is multibody
system simulation software based on recursive algorithm,
and uses the relative coordinate’s motion equation theory,
so its solution speed is quick. RecurDyn with tracked
vehicles subsystem Track (LM) may realize the crawler
system full three-dimensional modeling and analysis of
different types of crawler system and the interaction with
the hard and soft soil, which is a powerful tool for
complex dynamic systems analysis of tracked vehicles.
978-1-4577-1701-7/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE
Cheng Kai *, Zuo Peng and Wang Zhilin
College of Mechanical science and Engineering
Jilin University
Changchun, China
e-mail: chengkai@jlu.edu.cn
Cheng Kai * is Corresponding author
In this paper, the simulation analysis of driving system
performance of crawler bulldozer in the different
operating conditions is carried out in RecurDyn in two
kind pavement of the clay and hard, and the force of the
driving system has been detailed studied. Research result
provides reference for performance improvement of
Crawler bulldozer driving system.
II. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MODEL OF A CRAWLER
BULLDOZER DRIVING SYSTEM THE OVERALL STRUCTURE
DESIGN
RecurDyn software providing low-speed track system
toolkit-Track/LM includes various track system
components, such as driving wheels, guide wheels, road
wheels and track, and so on. Accurate modeling of Vehicle
walk part can be realized using these components. At the
same time, RecurDyn software provides the Ground
module, for establishing various standard Ground, also can
be User-defined the actual road conditions road.
A. The solid model
The whole vehicle model is divided into three parts: car
body model, driving systems and bulldozing work device
model. In this article, car body model and bulldozing work
device modeling use PROE software modeling in advance,
and then save as IGES format. Finally car body model and
bulldozing work device model of IGES format are
imported by RecurDyn software. For car body model, this
article manually addes property of mass and moment of
inertia of the body in RecurDyn. For bulldozing work
device model, this paper add the correct constraint
according to the practical situation. The simulation process
does not consider the influence of working device action,
so oil cylinder stroke driving is set to zero. This paper
establish crawler driving system model applying tracked
vehicles subsystem (LM) of RecurDyn. Eventually the
three-dimensional dynamic model of a crawler bulldozer
has been created, as shown in Figure 1.
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 crawler and the ground is obtained though the Coulomb
friction law. In this simulation, the hard pavement
parameters are as shown in table 1.
TABLE I. PARAMETERS OF THE HARD PAVEMENT

Ground Ground Index static dynamic maximu

stiffness damping n friction friction m friction
k˄N·m- c˄s·m-1 coefficient coefficient speed vmax
n
˅ ˅ ȝs ȝd ˄m·s-1˅
Figure 1. The three-dimensional dynamic model of a crawler bulldozer

This paper establishing crawler driving system model
contains two tracked subsystem in RecurDyn. Each
tracked system is made up of one driving wheel, one
guiding wheel, six road wheels, two towing sprockets and
thirty-eight track shoes. The driving wheel of the crawler
bulldozer travel system is placed over the rear axle. Road
wheels, driving wheel and towing sprockets connect to the
fixed positions of the car body by revolute joints. Guiding
wheel connects to the car body by moving pair, and a
spring is installed between its wheel center and the car
body. Between the balance beam and the car body adds
fixed pair. Between the balance beam and the walking
frame installs a spring. One tracked model includes ten
revolute joints, one moving pair, and a moving pair. The
crawler centre distance B equals to 1.880m, and the track
shoe width b equals to 0.500m. Three-dimension model of
crawler driving system is established, as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Three-dimension model of crawler driving system
B. Pavement models as well as vehicle-ground
mechanical relation
The pavement is made up of rectangular elements in
RecurDyn. Each element can remember the maximum
amount of subsidence, maximum pressure, shear strain and
shear stress so as to calculate the positive pressure or the
level friction. For different types of the ground, the
calculation of the force between vehicle track and ground
is different. In the hard ground, the pressure between track
shoe and ground is defined through contact force that
interaction between tracked vehicles and ground products
contact forces. Lankarani rose the nonlinear spring
damping models based on Hertz contact theory, thus the
2.0e+007 3.0e+005 2.0 0.9 0.7 1.0
Soft ground models consider soil with function of
memory, which is considering loading history. Between
each track shoe and the ground, there is a generalized
force, and the calculation of the generalized force is
completed by a user subroutine. The positive pressure of
Tracked vehicles to the ground is based on stress-
subsidence relation made by United States scholar Bekker
0G, that is
p = (kɮ/b+kc)Zn (1-2)
In the formula, p is the ground pressure; kɮ is soil
deformation modulus of internal friction; kc is soil
deformation modulus of cohesion; B is the width of track
shoe; Z is the depth of deformation; n is deformation index.
Formula (1-2) applies to the loading process. To the
uninstall process, the calculation formula is that as follows
p = pmax-(k0+AuZmax) (Zmax-Z) (1-3)
In the formula, k0 and Au is the characteristic
parameters of soil.
The calculation of the level force between the crawler
and the ground is also based on the theory of Bekker 0Φ
G. The crawler in contact ground surface products shear
function, and the shear force-displacement relationship is
as follows
IJ =IJmax(1-e-Sj/i) (1-4)
In the formula, Sj is shear displacement; i is horizontal
shear deformation modulus; IJmax is Maximum shear stress,
and there is
IJmax = c + Ptanɮ (1-5)
In the formula, P is the pressure of ground; c is
maximum shear stress when the ground pressure is zero; Ɏ
is soil internal friction angle.
Formula (1-4) is generated into type (1-5), there is
IJ = (c + Ptanɮ)(1-e-Sj/u) (1-6)
According to the actual operation situation, the soft
ground adopts the clay pavement in this paper, and the
parameters are as shown in table 2.
TABLE II. PARAMETERS OF THE CLAY PAVEMENT

contact formula is obtained in RecurDyn as below.

Soil Soil Soil Cohesi Angle shear sink
δ  m 2  m3 deforma deformati deform -on Nc of deformati rate
f n = kδ m1 + c δ δ (1-1)
-tion -on -ation shear -on
δ modulus modulus index n
˄N˅
resista- modulus i
In the formula, k is contact stiffness coefficient; c is of of nce˄° ˄mm˅
cohesion internal
damping coefficient; m1 is stiffness index; m2 is damping friction
˅
kc˄mm
index; m3 is dents index; δ is Penetration depth; δ is the

˅ kɮ˄mm
relative velocity of contact point. ˅
These parameters above formula depend on the type of
material, size, and so on, where contact stiffness 0.417 2.1888e- 0.5 4.14e- 13 25 5e-
coefficient k and damping coefficient c have a great 002 003 002
influence on simulation results. The friction between the

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 III. THE SIMULATION ANALYSIS OF THE DRIVING
SYSTEM OF THE CRAWLER BULLDOZER
Crawler bulldozer is a complicated nonlinear
multibody system. The extrusion process between Track
shoes and the ground is typical contact process, such
multibody dynamics problems of large-scale and complex
contact can be solved using RecurDyn software. Next, the
simulation analysis of driving system of the crawler
bulldozer is carried out according to the different operating
conditions in two kind pavement of the clay and hard.
Coordinate system is created before force analysis, in
which x direction is forward direction along the car body,
y direction is vertical ground upward direction, z direction
is vertical car-body direction according with the right hand
rule.
A. The force comparison analysis of the road wheel
under different soil characteristics
Road wheel is the important load-bearing parts when
the vehicle quality through crawler board transfers to the
ground, which plays an important role to vehicle
dynamics. This paper selects the condition that through
100 millimeter pit, and the force of the same road wheel
that closest to the driving wheel is carried out the
comparison analysis to different pavements, as is shown in
figure 3 and figure 4.
Figure 3. In the clay pavement, the force of the road wheel that closest
to the driving wheel through the pit condition
Figure 4. In the hard pavement, the force of the road wheel that closest
to the driving wheel through the pit condition
It can be seen from figure 3 and Figure 4 that in the
beginning stage of crawler bulldozer, stress fluctuation of
the road wheel is large Whether in clay road or in hard
pavement, moreover, clay pavement appears stress peak.
This is because that the road wheel just falls to the ground
when the crawler bulldozer starts, this moment between
the road wheel and the ground creates a sudden shocks and
collisions, which have led to severe stress fluctuation.
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Then The clay pavement is better to slowdown the shock
of the road wheel grounding impacting, while pressure
fluctuations remains very big in the hard pavement still. In
the process of passing the pit, comparing the force of road
wheel in different pavement can be seen that, in hard
pavement the amplitude of stress fluctuation is larger,
while in clay pavement the amplitude of stress fluctuation
is smaller, in addition the force of the road wheel is less in
the clay pavement than in the hard pavement, Which is
about 52.3 percent of the former. If the force of road wheel
is too small, the crawler is easy to fall off, so when the
road wheel using at the clay pavement, the crawler should
be given greater tension force.
B. The force comparison analysis of the driving wheel
under different soil characteristics
That the bulldozer can overcome all kinds of resistance
and driving forward is because the driving wheels transfer
tension to the ground when winding the crawler, at the
same time, the reaction force that the ground to the crawler
effects on the car body through the driving wheel, dictating
the car body rolling along track orbit through the road
wheel. Selected the climbing conditions in this article, the
force of the right driving wheel is carried out the
comparison analysis to different pavements, as is shown in
figure 5 and figure 6.
Figure 5. The force of the driving wheel in the clay pavement under the
climbing condition
Figure 6. The force of the driving wheel in the hard pavement under
the climbing condition
It can be seen from Figure 5 and Figure 6 that in each
image the force along the x direction, which is forward
direction along the car body, is larger more than the force
along the y direction, which is upward direction of vertical
ground. That is because the car body is provided the
progressive power by the driving wheels of the crawler
travel system. Comparing and analyzing Figure 5 figure 6,
the paper can find that in the beginning stage of crawler
bulldozer, clay pavement impact load of the driving wheel
is less a little than the hard pavement, which is because
that the clay pavement is better to buffer the shock.
Beginning of climbing in 9 second or so, in the stage of
climbing, through comparison analysis this paper obtains
the result that the force fluctuationof the driving wheel
along x direction and y direction is larger in the hard
pavement than the clay pavement, which further reflects
more weak ability of slowdown block in the hard
pavement than the clay pavement, so the driving system of
crawler bulldozer often using in the hard pavement had
better adopt shock absorption device to buffer the impact.
C. The comparison analysis of the crawler tension under
different soil characteristics
It can be known by the dynamical theory of the
crawler, if omitted track friction losses between the pin and
pin hole, under the effect of driving torque, the driving
force from crawler driving section is the force which
promoting the car body forward, in addition, its value
equals to the crawler tension T. However, in fact, owing to
existing friction between pin and pin hole, so the driving
force coming from the driving torque is smaller than the
tension T. That the paper carries out the comparative
analysis of crawler tension is selecting the climbing
conditions and different pavement, as shown in Figure 7
and Figure 8.
Figure 7. Crawler tension in the clay pavement under the obstacle
negotiation condition
Figure 8. Crawler tension in the hard pavement under the obstacle
negotiation condition
It can be seen from figure 7 and figure 8 that in the
beginning stage of crawler bulldozer, the tension
fluctuation of crawler is slightly larger in the hard
pavement than in the clay pavement, after pulling force
tending to stability, the crawler tension in the two
pavements rise and fall fluctuations near the same pulling
value 63.5KN. In the process of obstacle negotiation,
crawler tension first increase and then decrease, that tends
to stability after several fluctuations. Crawler tension
appears a maximum pulling force in this process; in
addition, the maximum value of crawler tension is greater
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in the hard pavement than in the clay pavement. That is
because the clay pavement has buffer action, making
crawler tension changing moderately and amplitude of
fluctuations smaller. While the clay pavement has not
buffer action,, which makes crawler tension drastic
fluctuation and amplitude of fluctuations larger. Therefore,
the design of crawler driving system of bulldozer should
take full account of track pin tolerance, preventing the
track pin from deformation or fracture owing to the force
too large.
IV. CONCLUSION
That the article uses tracked vehicle subsystem Track
(LM) of the multibody dynamics simulation software
RecurDyn establishes three-dimensional dynamic model of
crawler bulldozer. Then the dynamics simulation analysis
of driving system of crawler bulldozer in the different
operating conditions is carried out in two kind pavement of
the clay and hard. From the comparative analysis, this
paper can draw the following conclusions:
1) The force of the road wheel is less in the clay
pavement than in the hard pavement, so when the road
wheel using at the clay pavement, the crawler should be
given greater tension force so as to prevent the crawler
falling off.
2) The driving wheel of the crawler bulldozer travel
system is placed over the rear axle, which bears the
external shock and vibration loads when walking and
operating, therefore the driving system of crawler
bulldozer often using in the hard pavement had better
adopt shock absorption device to buffer the impact.
3) Crawler tension is drastic fluctuation and amplitude
of fluctuations is larger in the hard pavement, hence
designing the driving system of crawler bulldozer should
increase the stiffness and strength of track pin so as to
prevent crawler pin deformation or fracture.
Simulation results provide reference and guide for the
structural design of crawler bulldozer, at the same time,
showing that the multibody dynamics simulation software
RecurDyn is able to carry out an omni directional and high
efficiency dynamics simulation analysis for the driving
system of crawler bulldozers. RecurDyn software is an
ideal tools for design and optimization of the driving
system of crawler bulldozers.
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